Kwara Kiddies League Players to Dominate National Team Soon, Official Predicts

 

The Technical Officer of the Kwara Kiddies League (KKL), Coach Paul Odeh, has expressed strong optimism that players emerging from the league would dominate Nigeria’s national football teams in the coming years.

Odeh made the assertion on Sunday at the grand finale of the Kwara Kiddies League in Ilorin, noting that the quality of players showcased during the competition was exceptional and good enough to represent the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the KKL is a grassroots youth football league based in Kwara State and organised by the Taiwo Awoniyi Foundation.

Odeh, a former Technical Director of the Kwara Football Academy (KFA), described the league as unprecedented in the country, praising its consistent growth and impact on youth football development.

“With what I have seen here, the KKL is a blessing to Kwara State because it will put the state on the national and international football map.

“This is something extraordinary. It has never happened before, and there have been continuous improvements year after year.

“If it continues at this pace, in the next five years the national team will be dominated by players from this league.

“One of the products of the KFA is already heading to Chelsea, which speaks volumes about the quality of players being produced here,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the League Board, Taiwo Awoniyi, said the league was rapidly establishing itself as a model for youth football development in Nigeria.

Awoniyi, who was represented by his elder brother, Julius Awoniyi, said the league’s structure effectively blends competitive football with education, well-being and character development.

“Through this model, the KKL is not only shaping future footballers but also empowering future leaders.

 

 

“We are proving that when sports are built on the right values, they can guide young boys towards discipline, responsibility and purpose,” he said.

The Chief Operating Officer of the league, Mr Ibrahim Jatto, said the KKL was steadily achieving the objectives for which it was established.

“Achieving the purpose of the league is already on course because it was designed as a developmental programme.

“It is a long-term setup with a six-year development target, grooming players from the age of 12, which aligns with FIFA’s training compensation framework.

“We hope that by the time these players turn 18, they would have received the right training and be mature enough to transition into professional football,” Jatto explained.

The Chairman, Kwara State House of Assembly Committee on Sports, Hon. Rukayat Shittu, said the Assembly and the state government would continue to support initiatives capable of positioning Kwara as the sports hub of the North Central region.

She commended the league for engaging young boys productively and steering them away from social vices while positively impacting their lives and uplifting the state.

NAN reports that the highlight of the occasion was the season’s final match between Kwara Football Academy and Gaa Akanbi Kids, with a lone goal from Kamaldeen Jimoh of KFA deciding the encounter.

NAN also reports that KFA emerged champions of the 2025 season, claiming a record fourth title after winning previous editions in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The event also featured the presentation of plaques and cash prizes ranging from ₦100,000 to ₦200,000 to outstanding players and league officials.

The league, which began as the Kwara U-12 YEG League, has grown into a 14-team competition played in a home-and-away format, with 182 matches scheduled across 26 weeks.